VOA NEWS

January 1, 2020

This is VOA news. I'm Marissa Melton.



North Korea is ramping up its rhetoric and talking of a new weapon amid a stalemate in negotiations with the United States. AP correspondent Ben Thomas reports.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is accusing the Trump administration of dragging its feet in nuclear negotiations.

North Korea's state media says Kim declared at a Workers' Party conference that his country will not give up its security for economic benefits and will never denuclearize unless the United States discards what he calls its "hostile policy."

Kim also warns North Korea will soon show the world a new strategic weapon.

Washington and Pyongyang have been at a standoff for months over exchanging sanctions relief and disarmament measures.

Ben Thomas, Washington.



Protesters have attacked the U.S. embassy compound in Baghdad. AP Washington correspondent Sagar Meghani reports.

Amid anger over U.S. airstrikes on an Iran-backed militia in Iraq, dozens of militiamen and supporters broke into the giant compound in an unprecedented attack, with American guards responding with tear gas.

The State Department says all Americans are secure and there are no plans to evacuate the embassy.

Two defense officials say a small number of Marines specially trained to protect diplomatic missions will go to Baghdad.

President Trump is blaming Iran for the attack and calling for Iraqi forces to protect the embassy.

The breach and the airstrikes represent a major downturn in U.S.-Iraqi relations. Baghdad has condemned the strikes and its security forces made no effort to stop protesters marching to the embassy.

Sagar Meghani, at the Pentagon.



The Taliban says it does not intend to stop fighting in Afghanistan, rejecting as "false and baseless" reports the insurgent group is ready to declare a temporary cease-fire in a bid to seal a peace deal with the United States.



From Washington D.C., you're listening to VOA news.



Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif visited Beijing on Tuesday, highlighting China's close relationship with Iran despite Tehran's standoff with the United States over its nuclear program. Zachary Goelman reports.

It's the fourth time Javad Zarif has met with Wang Yi this year alone in the Chinese capital and it showcases a strengthening relationship between Beijing and Tehran at a time when tensions between the U.S. and Iran are rising.

Last year, the United States withdrew from the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action that put limits on Iran's nuclear program. It followed that in April with threats of sanctions on countries that continue to buy oil from Iran.

In September, the U.S. declared it would punish Chinese entities it accused of importing Iranian oil.

Last week Iranian state TV broadcast images of joint naval drills with China and Russia.

A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson on Tuesday said that Beijing hopes to quote "deepen practical cooperation" and quote "push forward the comprehensive strategic partnership" with Tehran.

That's Reuters' Zachary Goelman reporting.



In Australia, Sydney held its lavish fireworks display on New Year's Eve after down the coast thousands were left trapped on beaches by raging bushfires. David Doyle reports.

The government has readied naval vessels and helicopters to help with evacuations and urged people to take shelter closer to the beach as flames moved up the coast.

More than 200 fires are now burning across the southeastern states of Victoria and New South Wales, severing power, mobile and Internet links and threatening several towns.

The bushfires have destroyed more than 10 million acres, with new fires sparked into life almost daily by extremely hot and windy conditions in bushland left tinder dry by three years of drought.

Bushfires are also infringing on the outskirts of Sydney cloaking the city's year end party in smoke.

That's Reuters' David Doyle reporting.



After a busy 2019, Wall Street is warning things could go more slowly in 2020. AP's Shelley Adler.

It's been a banner year for investors. You may remember the doom and gloom of last December on Wall Street.

"... to just over a year ago when the stock market was essentially in a bid of many rafts because of concerns about a recession and here we've had a 28 percent gain for the S&P 500 this year."

Mark Hamrick, senior economic analyst for Bankrate.com, who reminds us even the experts are unsure about market predictions.

"The reality is that nobody really knows what will happen for the market in the near term but does forecast for 2019 were rather conservative for gains for the market in the low single digits. And essentially those projects are where we are with the outlook for 2020."

Shelley Adler, Washington.



I'm Marissa Melton. You're listening to VOA news.